Drone Footage Cost
Drone footage cost 2026: prices and regulations
With aerial footage you pay for two things: the flight time and the legal certainty. Here is what both cost — and when we honestly are not allowed to fly.
The short answer
- Drone footage in Germany usually costs 800 to 3,000 EUR.
- At MidMat: 490 EUR as an add-on to a running production, 890 EUR as its own appointment, 1,490 EUR for construction documentation across four dates.
- As an add-on it is cheapest, because travel and crew are on site anyway.
- Commercial flights require an EU remote pilot certificate, drone registration and liability insurance — all in place.
- Before every appointment we check airspace, protected areas and permit requirements. Sometimes the answer is: not here.
Our prices
Add-on to a production
490 € net
Aerial footage on a shoot day we are already with you.
- surcharge on your film or photo production
- up to 45 minutes flight time
- 4K video footage
- 5 edited aerial stills
- airspace check included
Drone package
890 € net
A dedicated appointment for aerial footage only, with no other production.
- own appointment, up to 2 hours on site
- 4K video footage, edited
- 10 edited aerial stills
- one approach move of your choice
- travel within NRW included
Construction documentation
1.490 € net
Four appointments across the build, always from the same perspective.
- 4 flight dates by arrangement
- identical positions for comparability
- 8 edited aerial stills each
- time-lapse edit at the end
- raw footage archived
All prices net, as a fixed price. Details and booking on the service page: Drone Footage →
Our prices against the market
| Service | At MidMat | Market rate |
|---|---|---|
| Aerial footage on a shoot day already booked | 490 € | 800-3,000 EUR |
| Own appointment, up to 2 hours on site | 890 € | from 1,200 EUR |
| Construction documentation, 4 dates with time-lapse | 1.490 € | from 3,000 EUR |
| Airspace check and permit clarification | included | often an extra item |
Market figures taken from published price lists and cost guides of German production companies, as of 2026. They are for orientation - an individual provider may sit below or above them.
What does it cost you per month?
A film is not a running cost but a one-off production you use for years. So we convert it to 36 months - that is what makes a comparison with monthly marketing costs like Google Ads honest.
— per month
— one-off, spread across 36 months
A plain division of the net price across the useful life - no interest, financing or tax calculation. How the expense works out for tax is a question for your tax adviser.
What determines the price of drone footage
Own appointment or add-on
The biggest difference. If we are with you for a film anyway, travel and setup time drop away almost entirely.
Permit situation at the location
Near airports, over residential development or in protected areas a flight permit is required. That costs lead time and sometimes fees.
Flight time and number of subjects
Battery changes, repositioning and retakes add up. 45 minutes of flight time covers most locations.
Post-production
Colour grading and editing are included. Elaborate stabilisation, time-lapse across months or survey data are separate services.
Weather risk
In wind, rain or poor visibility we do not fly. A replacement date is free with us — but plan for it in the schedule.
How to pay less
Attach it to a shoot day
490 EUR instead of 890 EUR — the simplest lever. Plan aerial footage into the corporate film from the start.
Name the location early
The earlier we know the address, the more likely a permit can be cleared without a rush surcharge.
Think about the season
Clear winter days often produce better aerial images than a hazy midsummer — and they are easier to schedule.
Several sites in one day
If your locations are close together, we cover them in a single appointment.
Common questions about drone footage cost
What does drone footage cost?
The market rate is 800 to 3,000 EUR. At MidMat aerial footage costs 490 EUR net as an add-on to a production we are attending anyway, 890 EUR as its own appointment and 1,490 EUR for construction documentation across four dates.
Why is the add-on so much cheaper?
Because travel, setup time and crew are already paid for. Essentially only the flight time is added.
Do you fly legally and insured?
Yes. We fly with an EU remote pilot certificate, a registered drone and valid liability cover for commercial flights. Before every appointment we check airspace, protected areas and permit requirements.
Can you fly anywhere?
No. Restrictions apply near airports, over residential property without consent, in nature reserves and above certain installations. We check your location in advance and say honestly what is possible.
Does a flight permit cost extra?
The check is always included. If the authority charges a fee, we pass it on unchanged, with no markup.
What happens in bad weather?
Then we do not fly; that is a safety question. We reschedule the flight free of charge and the rest of the production runs as planned.
Do we need the landowner's consent?
For the take-off and landing point, yes. For footage of your own company grounds your consent is enough. Where third-party residential property is in frame, we respect personal rights and choose the angle accordingly.
What quality do we receive?
4K video and aerial stills at full sensor resolution, colour graded and edited. Raw footage is provided on request.
How long does a flight appointment take?
For the standard case, one to two hours on site, of which roughly 45 minutes is actual flight time. The rest is setup, safety checks and repositioning.
Do you also fly indoors?
Only after individual assessment. Indoor flights in production halls are possible but need more safety precautions and are quoted separately.
Can you document a building site over months?
Yes, that is the package across four dates for 1,490 EUR. We fly the same positions every time so the images are comparable, and cut a time-lapse at the end.
Do we get survey data or 3D models?
We do not offer that. We produce aerial footage for marketing and documentation, not photogrammetry — for that you need a surveying contractor.
Free offer
A free sample shot of your product
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